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Chapter 22: Family Time
Montana
With our empty wine glasses in hand, Kurt and I join the others in the kitchen, Denali, the Malamute, trotting behind us.
“Let me give Montana a tour, then we can meet on the rooftop,” Carson suggests to his parents.
“So, this is the kitchen.” He swings his arms wide.
I’m already very familiar with this open space, with the large island with seating for five, and the bar area to the side, near the floor-to-ceiling glass doors, leading to the outdoor grill.
A few steps away, also on the first floor, we walk through a giant living room, complete with a wall of glass, two French doors to the patio where we ate, a small powder room, and a mudroom with a shower off to the patio side.
Near the table where we ate, the stone patio holds a wicker sectional with large, cushioned chairs, a glass railing all around, and a glass gate that opens to a wooden ramp which leads down to the private beach he promises to show me
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7 Deadly Sins series Chapter 23: Strengthening Bonds
Montana The next morning, while eating breakfast, my phone vibrates, signaling a FaceTime call. “Excuse me. I need to take this.” I scoot my chair from the breakfast table and Carson’s parents.“It’s my brother,” I whisper to Carson as I pass by.“Hello,” I greet nervously, aware of the lecture coming my way.“I didn’t wake you, did I?” Joe asks.“We’re eating breakfast. It’s eight o’clock here,” I answer. “What time is it in Africa?”“About five. We’re getting ready for dinner,” he explains.In the background, I see bare dirt and huts in the distance.“I miss you,” I whisper, fighting back my tears.“I’m sure you do, but we’ve got other stuff to cover.” My brother’s voice takes on an authoritative tone. “What were you thinking?”“Joe…” Tears fall, and my throat swells shut.“Let’s put aside the fact that you were blitzed in an unfamiliar city with strangers that are rock stars. Mom says y
7 Deadly Sins series Chapter 24: Together at Corey’s House
Montana Carson and I sleep in until Denali signals he needs to potty by licking my face to wake me up. We flew him out on a different airline that allows larger dogs to fly coach instead of in the bowels of the plane. The pet sitter dropped him off last night, no worse for the wear.We hook him to the leash and head out on a long walk near the lake. Since we won’t be leaving Corey’s property, I keep on the t-shirt and boxers I wore to bed last night.We laugh at Denali’s attempt to lift his back leg to wet on everything over six inches tall.“No way he has more urine left to mark with,” I giggle.“Don’t make fun of him!” Carson acts offended. “He’s a growing boy, trying to make his mark on the world.”“What is it with males of every species needing to pee as many places as possible? My brother used to pee on Mom’s plants in the backyard and everywhere on Dad’s farm,” I share.“Not all of us pee everywhere,” C
7 Deadly Sins series Chapter 25: Dawn
Montana Mom's words swirl in my head. "We have a ton to talk about." “A ton.” That’s an understatement. I’m not sure exactly what my mom’s reaction is and am sure she has much to lecture me about.Mom is unusually quiet as we drive down the long lane from Corey’s house. I find the silence unbearable.“In the mood for Gilroy’s?” I ask nervously.“Ooh, I love that place,” Mom states. “Is that on 8th Street?”“Yes. We can sit on the patio and drink Moscow mules with lunch,” I add. “Mom, let’s start our conversation now, so we can enjoy lunch.”“We’ll enjoy lunch, no matter what,” Mom declares. “This lunch isn’t to punish you, Montana. We have a lot of questions and answers to cover.”“So, shall I tell you about him?” The urge to start our talk grows with every silent, passing moment.“First, I have something to tell you,” Mom says.I swallow hard. Here we go. Here’s the disappointment statement.
7 Deadly Sins series Chapter 26: The Honeymoon Phase
Montana Nestled in the warmth of our king-sized bed, Carson cuddles my back against his front for several long moments as we talk.Tonight, I pull away, lying on my side to face him. The pale moonlight allows me to see his face. Too many thoughts clog my mind.What if we have no sexual chemistry in the bedroom, or if we’re not compatible sexually? Will our marriage and friendship end? What if he has terrible habits that I can’t bear? What will happen if I want to go back to college or start my career in Des Moines? What if his writer’s block returns? What if I snore?“What’s going on in there?” Carson taps my forehead before tucking hair behind my ear.“There’s still so much we don’t know about each other,” I admit. It’s not a lie. I’m summing up all of my concerns.He nods. “Let’s remedy that now.”I scrunch my face, unsure what he means. How can we remedy it now?“Do you have any al
7 Deadly Sins series Chapter 27: The Guys Arrive in Des Moines
Carson “Are you ready for this?” I ask Montana. “These are the last few minutes of having the house all to ourselves. Our peace will be no more.”“The house is enormous—plenty of room to spread out,” Montana reminds me.Moments later, we’re snacking in the kitchen when the gate buzzes, signaling the band’s arrival.Montana asks, “Fran, are you ready for this?”She nods. “Corey’s family and ZipTie have prepared me for everything.”When we open the front door to greet the guys, the first person I see is a label representative, giving orders into his Bluetooth earpiece and barking orders to the younger male hovering nearby.Eli, our drummer, is the first through the door, two duffels in his hands. Jake the bass player, strolls in sans luggage. They take in the foyer and stairs. Eli smirks at Montana. “How’s the married life, child bride?” Turning to me, he chuckles. “She looks happy. Atta boy.”“She’s not
7 Deadly Sins series Chapter 28: Montana’s Secret
Montana I assist Peyton in applying sunscreen to the backs of the three men. I start with Carson, and she starts with Jake. Eli comments that he’s okay with sloppy seconds to which we shake our heads. As Peyton is taking her sweet time, ensuring Jake’s safety from UV rays, I apply a thick coat of sunscreen to Eli’s very pale back.“Dude, you’re gonna fry,” Carson informs him.“Sunscreen will protect me. I’ll just need to reapply it every hour.” He looks over his shoulder at me. “Will you set an alarm and make sure I do?”I nod, hoping the others will assist me. It feels strange to be running my fingers over Eli’s back.“Spin,” I instruct.“No, I can get my chest.” He snags the bottle of sunscreen from my right hand and heads to the patio table under the umbrella.I turn my attention to Peyton. She’s finally done fondling Jake in front of us. Now, the two are sitting at the edge of the pool, talking low enough we can’t hear them.We spend the afternoon floati
7 Deadly Sins series Chapter 29: Time to Turn on the Heat
Montana That night, after dinner, the guys invite Peyton and me to join them in the studio. Carson plans to unveil some lyrics, and they plan to create the music to accompany it.I’m excited. I’ve seen bands on stage but haven’t witnessed the creative process behind the songs. Well, other than watching Songland on TV. The way the three producers and the artists collaborate with the new songwriters mesmerizes me. I can’t wait to witness it in person.Peyton and I take seats on an oversized chair in the studio while the guys each take control of their instruments. Carson and Jake sit with their guitar and bass guitars in their laps. Carson moves a stool to him and spreads notebook paper full of lyrics in front of him while Eli takes the throne seat behind his drum kit.They don’t discuss a plan of action, and Carson doesn’t read the lyrics to them first. He strums his guitar and reads from his pages. Jake plays a few chord
7 Deadly Sins series Chapter 30: Warner’s Midwest Welcome
Montana “How do I seduce my husband?” I ask when we’re safely outside the house.Peyton guffaws and stops abruptly which jerks Snoopy to a halt.I continue walking. “I mean, should I just tell him? Or is it better if I hint at it?” I query further, looking directly at my friend, desperately seeking her advice.“You’re serious?” Peyton asks. “Okay, well, what have you done in the past with guys to give them the green light?”My jaw drops in disbelief. She knows I’m inexperienced with men. I’m not the leader in my relationships. How did I think I could do this?“Hey.” She waves her hands in front of my face to get my attention. “So, you’ve shared that you cuddle at night while talking. That’s a perfect time to drop your hints. Every touch can be a signal. Brush against him, then place your hand on his arm, his chest, and his jaw.”She leans closer to me. “Dress provocatively, forget a towel when you sh
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